Your homepage is THE SPOT where potential clients, regulars, viewers, your great-aunt Susie, and random searches will land! I have found that there are some non-negotiables, must-haves if you will, that each home page should contain. Read on to make sure your homepage has all it needs!
1. Who you Are and What you Do
A clear, concise statement is what perusing website viewers are looking for. Full honesty, this statement is the make or break of getting them to stay here! If YOU are what they are looking for and meet their needs with whatever services or products you provide, they’ll stay to read more! This statement can be as simple as, “Newborn and family photographer for Nashville, TN families”. This tells the reader two things 1) that you offer photography and 2) WHO you offer photography to. This is all they need to know to allow them to continue reading or narrow down their search to a more specific niche. This statement is a great way to establish exactly what you want to offer if you’re struggling to corral your products and services all together.
2. All About You
Just like you love your hair girl and know her by name, you have your favorite coffee order at your favorite shop, or you enjoy your 3 minute chat with Jeremy (best grocery pick up guy around – true story) while he puts your weekly groceries in your car – people love knowing who YOU are and having a personal connection with you. This is your chance to be real, be you, be sarcastic, be serious, be candid, be hilarious – whatever it is that makes you, YOU, this is your time to shine. To connect with someone you don’t even know or haven’t met yet can be an extremely abstract idea and hard to paraphrase without sounding like a dating profile. HOWEVER, you can make it personal and keep it about your business all at the same time. “I’m Laura! Sunrises bring me joy. When I’m not teaching yoga, I love a good target deal and my adorable goldendoodle, Wally. Yoga is such a huge part of my life that even Wally loves a good downward dog!” (hah! See how we squeezed yoga in there with some personal things?)
3. Portfolio and Package Samples
Okay, you’ve captured someone and they connected with who you are, now it’s time to display what you provide in a detailed manner. While it seems like a LOT upfront, clients enjoy knowing the basics of what you offer. Providing images and a short but detailed list of what you offer and a summary of the service helps viewers and clients segue so much faster into #4 (contact and call to action). When they can see the item/product/service and see clear, distinct details with everything laid out, there is nothing left to be imagined or unattained until they contact you! They expect the expected and are thankful for that clarity.
4. Contact and Call to Action
Once you’ve shown them what you got, it’s time to give them opportunities. One major opportunity you ALWAYS want to offer anyone that views your page is contact info. Whether that be social pages (where you keep popping up for them over and over again) or simply your office hours and email, providing a spot for them to get a hold of you is a must-have. A call to action is a way for them to take the first steps towards getting your product or service – NOW! They don’t need to think twice, they can add to cart or book the next session or sign up for a one-on-one immediately with a call to action.
*Note in the footer of your email, have your office hours and email + links to your socials. Your footer shows up on every page of your website, and people will know alternative ways to see your work and get in contact with you.
5. Trust & Testimonials
They are in – they are HERE for it. They have followed you on social media, they have looked at your portfolio and they are vibin’ with your aesthetic…but they have yet to take any action?? This is where you build trust and showcase testimonials. You build trust by continuing to be open, honest, and personal throughout your home page. You showcase your testimonials to show a different perspective of what it’s like to work with you, a perspective other than your own. You give potential clients glimpses, snapshots, small bites of what it’s like to work with you. This builds their trust and allows them to see others who have had successful interactions with you too!
And that’s all folks – that should wrap up the some major must haves for your home page. With these 5 items, you are sure to be one step closer to snagging those ideal clients, showcasing your best self, and creating lifelong connections!
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